1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an infant sleep aid device. In particular, it relates to a device for supporting an infant upright at angle while providing an unobstructed breathing airway under the infant's head and a means for capturing infant spit ups or vomits.
2. Description of Related Art
It is well documented that almost half of newborns develop acid reflux within weeks of birth. Whether it is a normal Gastric Reflux (GER) or the more serious Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), infant reflux is a common condition which involves a back flow of acid from the stomach into the esophagus. A ring of muscles at the bottom of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opens and closes to allow food to enter the stomach. The LES opens to release gas after meals. More than gas may escape, however. The LES may also allow stomach contents to flow back into the esophagus and out through the mouth. Parents often see the result as spitting up, though vomiting may also occur. Reflux can occur at times other than during or shortly after a feeding. Reflux can also occur when babies cough, cry, or strain. The Reflux can create an irritation or even a damage of the sensitive inside lining of the esophagus. An uncomfortable, sometimes painful, burning sensation behind the breastbone is the common symptom described as heartburn. Other common symptoms of infant acid reflux include frequent spitting up or vomiting, irritability when feeding, refusing food or eating small amounts, sudden crying or constant crying, arching the back, and other known symptoms. Besides the discomfort and pain created by this condition for the infant, it is heart-breaking experience for the parents.
In order to reduce regurgitation and therefore reflux action, it is often recommended to feed the infant in an upright position and put the infant down after feeding on an incline surface of at least thirty degrees. Although there is a general trend to let infants sleep on their back due to risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), it is not uncommon for pediatricians to allow the infant to be positioned on his/her stomach with supervision for cases of severe GERD. Placing the infant on an incline is therefore commonly achieved by using a wedge-shaped body or simply a “wedge” made of sturdy foam which has an inclined surface on which to rest the baby. Some wedges have a small angle of inclination so that the infant does not need to be supported against sliding. Other wedges, with larger angle of inclination, require a harness or sling to prevent the infant from sliding down.
Although the industry's current available wedges serve their purpose of holding the infant at an angle to reduce the reflux action, they may not eliminate GERD altogether and certainly do not solve other problems or concerns faced by the parents. In particular one such problem and concern consists of air ways blockage if the infant moves his/her head and places his/her face directly against the wedge surface while in prone position (i.e. on his/her stomach). This is a potentially fatal situation as the infant will not be able to breath. Another concern for the parents is the inability to quantify or even estimate how much the infant has spit up or vomit.
Therefore, it would be a distinct advantage to have a device and a method to not only hold the infant at an angle comfortably on a wedge in either a supine or prone position using a harness or similar means but also provide an unobstructed breathing space regardless of the position of the infant's head on the supporting surface. Such device and method will also include the means to capture and collect spit ups and/or vomits for the purpose of quantifying and monitoring its odor, color and acidity. It is an object of the present invention to provide such a device and method to benefit not only infants with acid reflux but also with any infant that spit ups or vomits.